


all you knead is love

by suituuup



Series: the baker & the chef [2]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Baking, Cooking, Developing Relationship, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29719050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suituuup/pseuds/suituuup
Summary: Michelin star chef Beca Mitchell didn't expect this bubbly, pun-addicted baker to burst into her life, but it might be the best thing that happened to her.
Relationships: Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Series: the baker & the chef [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2184099
Comments: 50
Kudos: 187





	all you knead is love

**Author's Note:**

> Given the response on the last one, I decided to write a part two! 
> 
> Warning: cavities may ensure. Read at your own risk.
> 
> wonderful art [piece](https://sapphicgraphixx.tumblr.com/post/644205107285737472/some-more-chefbaker-bechloe-art-inspired-by-the) by @sapphicgraphixx on tumblr <3

“Cupcake delivery!” 

Beca looks up from her chopping board to find her girlfriend grinning at her through the serving hatch as she holds up a light blue box from _For Goodness Cakes_. Smiling, Beca wipes her hand on the apron tied around her waist and rounds the corner. 

“Hey you,” she murmurs, pecking Chloe’s lips as she plucks the box from her hands. “You’re the best. How was your day?” 

“Pretty long. Gonna head home and soak in a bubble bath.” 

Beca groans. “Did you really have to give me that imagery?” 

A giggle flits past Chloe’s lips. “Sorry.” She glances over her shoulder to the dining room. “Full-house tonight?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Hey, Bec, did you see that--” Jesse interrupts himself when he notices Chloe, recognition dawning in his eyes. He thrusts a hand out. “You must be Chloe. I’m Jesse.” 

“Oh, hello,” Chloe greets with a sweet smile, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you.” 

“This one can’t shut up about you,” he says then, pointing towards Beca, who casts him a glare. 

“Did you need something?” 

“She’s been a lot more bearable since you guys started dating,” he adds, ignoring the daggers shooting out of Beca’s eyes. 

“Dude, get lost,” Beca mutters as she shoves him. Her cheeks catch on fire when Jesse _finally_ walks away. “Sorry about that.” 

“You’re adorable,” Chloe says with a laugh, then leans in to kiss her cheek, her fingers curling around the lapels of Beca’s chef uniform briefly. 

“Go to my place?” Beca suggests, reaching inside her pants pocket for her keys. It’s Sunday, which means they’re both off tomorrow, and Beca wants to make the most of it by having Chloe sleep over tonight, too. Their schedules are conflicting, between Chloe starting her day at 4 am and Beca finishing hers around 11 pm. Awkwardly, she adds, “I mean, if you want to.” 

Chloe hesitantly takes the keys. “You sure?” 

“Yeah.” 

“K.” Chloe smiles and pecks her lips. “Have a good shift, see you in a bit.” 

Beca winks before Chloe turns away towards the doors, and she lets out a soft sigh, smiling to herself like an idiot long after she’s gone. 

Chloe was unexpected. Beca’s life was all about work up until they met; she never made time for dating, pouring her sole focus and energy into her restaurant, but there was something about Chloe that made Beca want to give it a shot.

Fast forward two amazing months exploring this newfound relationship, Beca feels like she’s floating on a cloud. Excuse her cheesiness, but it’s true. And people around her started to notice, including her team of cooks and waiters, and of course, Jesse. 

“So that’s Chloe, huh?” 

Beca doesn’t bother looking up from the onion she was chopping, simply humming. 

“Score dude, she’s hot,” Jesse comments, reaching for a cupcake. 

Beca swats his hand away. “Hands off. These are mine. And she’s a lot more than just hot.” 

That stupid smile she doesn’t seem to be able to control whenever she thinks about Chloe surfaces, but Beca manages to smooth down her expression. 

She hates that Jesse knows her so well when he gasps, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Is Beca ‘I don’t want a relationship’ Mitchell in _love_?” 

“Shut up,” Beca mutters, though she can’t keep her mind from wandering there. _Is_ she? She has definitely been her happiest self ever since Chloe burst into her life, and sometimes her thoughts escaped to what a future with Chloe might look like. 

Moving in together, getting married, having kids… All of that without feeling the need to run for the hills, as she did in previous relationships whenever it would get too serious for her liking. 

“You totally are,” Jesse quips when Beca remains silent, and she rolls her eyes. 

“Get out of my kitchen, Swanson.” 

“I’ll be your best man, right?” 

“Oh my god,” Beca grumbles, gritting her teeth as her cheeks warm-up at the mention of a wedding. “Not if you don’t leave me alone. And I’m holding a very sharp knife, so I would listen to what I say if I were you.” 

Jesse simply laughs, snatching a cupcake before Beca can stop him, but thankfully going about his business afterward. Dinner goes smoothly. Beca has been working with the same team since the restaurant's big opening two years ago, so everything now unfolds like clockwork, whether it be in the kitchen or the dining room. Beca is able to pour her whole focus on her art and not worry about outside factors, which makes each shift a blast. 

She heads home just after eleven, doing her best to be quiet as she washes up for bed, as Chloe appears to be asleep in the overhead loft. Chloe stirs when Beca slides under the covers, shuffling towards the middle so that she’s pressed against Chloe’s back. 

“I tried staying up ‘til you were back,” Chloe mumbles, her voice thick with sleep as Beca drapes an arm over her middle and presses a kiss to her shoulder. “How was dinner?” 

“It went well,” Beca murmurs, her hand slipping under Chloe’s shirt to rest on her stomach. She smiles against her skin, laying another kiss there. A sigh escapes her lips. “You’re all warm. How was your evening?” 

Chloe rolls onto her back, her red hair fanning out around her face as Beca hovers slightly above her. “Good. I love your bathtub. And your wine.” 

A chuckle puffs free. “Mmm, you and your wine.” 

“I also chatted with Aubrey. She says she wants to meet you,” Chloe says softly. 

“Oh, man. How much time do I have to prep for the interrogation?” Beca teases. “Is she going to make me pass a background check?” 

Chloe giggles. “You’re an idiot. I promise she’s not that bad.” 

“I know, I’m just kidding,” Beca assures her, expression softening. She leans down to press a short kiss to Chloe’s lips. “I could invite Jesse, too? So it’s like, a best friend’s night.” 

Chloe lets out a small gasp. “That’s a really good idea.” 

“Can I charm Aubrey with food?” Beca’s nose wrinkles in a grimace. “That’s like, my only talent.” 

“Pssh, it’s not. I can at least name three more,” Chloe argues softly, grinning as Beca swiftly shifts on top of her. 

“Three, huh?” Beca rasps, bending down to press a kiss to her neck. 

“Singing,” Chloe starts to list off as Beca’s lips make their way downwards. She feels Chloe’s breathing sharpen and smirks across her skin. “Playing the piano,” she continues, though her voice wavers just slightly. “And where _this_ is going.” 

A hum surfaces from Beca’s throat as she pushes up Chloe’s top to kiss her way down her bare stomach. “Good thing I decided not to eat dessert after shift,” she husks, as she sits back on her heels, dragging Chloe’s panties down her legs. “This is much, much better.” 

*

“Will you stop eating those?” Beca says with a tut, briefly looking up from her plate as Chloe brings an amuse-bouche to her mouth. “There’s not going to be any left by the time Aubrey gets here.” 

Beca can’t remember the last time she was so nervous. She guesses that’s the type of emotional whirlwind those Top Chef contestants go through when their creation is minutes away from being appraised by Alex Guarnaschelli. Aubrey might not be a renowned chef, but it feels just as intimidating because Beca is pretty sure she’s in love with Chloe at this point, and she really wants her best friend to like her. 

So yeah, she wants everything to be perfect, at least food-wise. 

“Sorry,” Chloe whispers sheepishly, reaching for her glass of wine.

Beca hums as she arranges thinly cut slices of beetroot on top and around her salmon mi-cuit, creating a colorful canvas. She casts her girlfriend a playful glare. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Beale.” 

Chloe simply winks as she takes a sip. “Can I help with anything?” 

The doorbell rings before Beca can reply, and her spine snaps straight, her throat bobbing up and down in a hard swallow. Chloe smiles as she pushes to her feet, pressing a kiss to Beca’s cheek. 

“Breathe, babe.” 

As Chloe pads to the door, Beca downs the rest of her glass of wine for liquid courage, then wipes her sweaty hands on her apron as she puffs out a much-needed breath. 

It turns out it’s just Jesse. 

“Becaw!” 

Beca rolls her eyes. “Ugh, why did I ask you to come?” 

Jesse plucks a baby tomato from the bowl. “Because I’m your wingman and you were scared shitless about meeting Chloe’s best friend on your own so you need me to steer the conversation in your favor.” He pops the tomato into his mouth while Chloe giggles. “What topics should I broach? Your Michelin star? The fact that you wanna open another restaurant in Paris? Or how you couldn’t stop gushing about Chloe after that first date?” 

Beca grits her teeth while Chloe giggles. “I’m thoroughly regretting inviting you along.” 

The doorbell rings once more, and a new round of nerves sprout in Beca’s belly. Chloe goes to open it once more, hugging Aubrey on the threshold. 

“You didn’t tell me Aubrey was hot,” Jesse whispers, nudging her shoulder. 

“I saw her like, once for a grand total of two minutes,” Beca argues back in an equally low tone. Truth be told, she also couldn’t keep her eyes away from Chloe that night. 

“Hello Beca,” the blonde greets with a soft smile as she approaches. Her gaze flickers to Jesse next. “Hi, I’m Aubrey.”

Jesse extends a hand, flashing Aubrey a charming smile while Beca rolls her eyes again. “Jesse, Beca’s best friend. Nice to meet you.” 

“Likewise.” Her focus lingers on Jesse for a few beats, then shifts to Beca. “I wasn’t sure what to bring…” She set a small basket containing various coffee bean bags down on the island. “Chloe said you drank coffee. These are from my favorite roaster. All organic.”

“Oh sweet, these will make my mornings easier. I’m not an early bird person like this one is,” Beca says with a chuckle as she tilts her chin in Chloe’s direction. She casts Aubrey a smile. “Thank you.” 

“Thank you for having me over,” Aubrey returns, shrugging off her coat. “Smells delicious.”

“Thanks.” She nods towards the oven. “Lobster ravioli.” 

Which she made from scratch this afternoon so that she wouldn’t have to spend too much time in the kitchen. 

“Would you like some wine? Or a cocktail?” She glances over her shoulder to her liquor shelf, scanning her options. “I can do an old-fashioned, manhattan, martini, sidecar, or a tom collins.” 

“I’ll have a martini, please.” 

“Babe?” Beca asks as Chloe joins them after hanging Aubrey’s coat by the door. “You’re sticking to wine?” 

“Yep,” Chloe says, opening the cutlery drawer to finish setting the table. 

“Jess?” 

“Wine’s good.” 

“Beautiful piano,” Aubrey observes as Beca takes what she needs to make her martini: jiggers, a cocktail glass, a mixing glass, and mixing spoon, ice, and of course gin (the bottle of _Aviation_ Ryan Reynolds sent her after eating at _Mamie_ this summer) and dry vermouth. 

“Thanks,” Beca says, measuring two and a half parts of gin and pouring it into the mixing glass, followed by half a part of vermouth. “You play?”

“Yeah. Not as much as I used to during college.” 

“Where did you go to college?” Jesse asks as he swirls his wine around the glass a bit. 

“Barden in Atlanta. I met Chloe in an acapella group.” 

Jesse’s features light up. “No way! I was in an acapella group too, but here in NYC.” 

Inviting Jesse turns out to be a great idea as he, just like Chloe, likes to talk and is extremely sociable. Conversation flows easily at the table. Beca gradually relaxes as they dive into different subjects, from the Bellas to the music scene in Paris while Beca lived there, to living in France in general. Aubrey seems to warm up to her as the night progresses, and the food is a success, much to Beca’s relief. 

Jesse and Aubrey leave around ten as they are all working the next day, and Chloe turns to face Beca as soon as the door is shut. She pushes off the surface, padding over to Beca. “Is it just me or was there a spark between them?” 

Beca snickers. She definitely noticed a mutual attraction between the two. “Pretty sure Jesse’s in love already.” 

Chloe giggles. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” 

Beca shakes her head, setting her hands on Chloe’s waist. “I guess not. She’s nice, and I’m actually looking forward to getting to know her more. And the rest of the Bellas, too.” 

Chloe smiles and drapes her arms over Beca’s shoulders. “I love that you want to meet them. My friends mean a lot to me.” 

“I know. And I love that about you. How loyal you are to them,” Beca murmurs, leaning in to brush a kiss to Chloe’s lips. 

Chloe chases her mouth for another short, soft kiss. “I should head home.” 

A soft whine leaves Beca’s throat as she tightens her hold on Chloe’s waist. She even pouts a little. “Stay?” 

Chloe giggles. “I’m getting up at four tomorrow morning, I’ll wake you up.” 

Beca lets out a sigh of defeat. “Fine. It sucks that our working schedules are so conflicting.” 

“I know,” Chloe murmurs with a matching exhale as she peels away from Beca, grabbing her coat. “I’ll come by _Mamie_ tomorrow after I’m done?” 

Beca cocks an eyebrow as she follows Chloe to the door. “ _With_ red velvet cupcakes?” 

“I’m starting to think you’re only dating me for the cupcakes.” 

“ _R_ _ats_. Busted,” Beca teases, kissing her one last time. “Goodnight.” 

Chloe winks softly. “Night, babe.” 

*

**Chloe**

_Just got home from the bakery. I’m sick :(_

It’s a week after Aubrey came over for dinner, and Beca has been looking forward to their only respective day off, so the text draws a frown from her. 

**Beca**

_I’m sorry, babe. Is it a cold?_

**Chloe**

_Yeah. So I won’t be coming over tonight. Hoping to feel better by tomorrow afternoon so we can spend a bit of time together. I’ll let you know._

**Beca**

_Rest up, Chlo._

Beca is at Chloe’s door a couple of hours later, after arranging for her chef-de-cuisine to take over tonight’s shift. It was about time she let him take the reins once in a while, and if he does well tonight, she’ll be able to take more nights off and get more quality time with Chloe. 

“What are you doing here?” Chloe asks when she opens the door, looking a bit pale and tired with a blanket draped across her shoulder. 

“You’re not feeling well, so I thought I would cook for you,” Beca says with a shrug, lifting her shopping bag. 

“You are?” Chloe croaks out as she lets Beca through. “You’re so sweet.” 

Beca tosses her a wink, placing her bag on the kitchen island. She turns around to turn on the oven, setting it at the right temperature. “How does tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich sound?” 

She knows those are Chloe’s favorite. 

Chloe groans as she follows, dragging her feet a bit. “I love you.” Her eyes pop wide a beat later, and Beca pauses, ready to tell Chloe it’s fine, that she knows she didn’t mean it like that. But Chloe grins sheepishly, her cheeks reddening. “I mean that. I was just planning to tell you in a more romantic way than blurting it out because of grilled cheese and tomato soup.” 

It’s odd, what Beca feels at that moment. An intense rush of warmth and her heart settling in her chest. She smiles, stepping closer. “I love you too, Chlo.” 

Chloe beams then grimaces. “Not _fair_ , I wanna kiss you but I’m sick.” 

Chuckling, Beca presses a kiss to her forehead, which feels just as intimate to her, if not more. “In the interim,” she murmurs, winking softly before backing away to get to work. 

“Who’s gonna cook at the restaurant tonight?” Chloe asks as she sits on one of the stools while Beca fishes out her tomatoes, onions, garlic, fresh thyme, and rosemary. 

“Adam. I’ve wanted to let him be in charge for a while. Jesse is there tonight, so he’ll call me if anything goes awry.” She pulls Chloe’s cutlery drawer open and wrinkles her nose as she runs the tip of her pointer finger over the blade of a chopping knife. “I’m getting you new knives for Christmas.” 

“Jeez, alright.” Chloe laughs. “In my defense, all of my good knives are at the bakery. Think you’ll still manage with that one?” 

“Barely,” Beca mumbles, cracking a smile as she takes an onion and starts chopping it. She then grabs a baking sheet and sets the tomatoes on it with a dash of olive oil sprinkled on top, sliding them into the oven to bake for an hour. Catching Chloe’s look, Beca grins awkwardly as she starts chopping the garlic. “What?” 

Chloe shrugs, cradling her chin into her propped-up hand. “I’m just thinking that I’m a lucky gal, having a sexy Michelin star chef cook just for me.” 

Beca blushes. Having a Michelin star is really not a big deal to her, and she always gets embarrassed when someone mentions it. 

They catch up over their respective weeks while Beca makes dinner, presenting Chloe with a perfectly cooked grilled cheese and bowl of tomato soup a little while later.

Chloe moans as she takes a bite, chewing. “How do you do that?” She mumbles with her mouth full, then swallows. “Take two simple ingredients and turn it into something that makes my tastebuds melt?” 

Beca shrugs. “It’s all in the cheese. And this sourdough bread happens to be the best in the city.” 

Chloe rolls her eyes. “Sweet talker,” she says, knowing it’s her own. She softens a beat later. “Thank you for this. I feel a bit better already.” 

“Yeah?” Beca smiles. “Good. I’ll make you a hot toddy to drink before bed.” 

*

Beca has always been more of a night owl; getting up early in the morning has, up until a few months, always proven difficult, but she’s been making an effort to spend more quality time with Chloe given how little time off they get together. 

The last six months have pretty much been bliss. None of Beca’s relationships have made it past that mark, most of it Beca’s fault as she wasn’t as invested as her previous partners. 

But Chloe… she’s different. 

Beca is slowly starting to imagine a future with her, which again, should send her for the hills, but it doesn’t. She finds herself daydreaming about it on a regular basis, nearly making rookie mistakes in the kitchen because of her lapses in focus. 

That’s why she’s up at ass’o’clock on her only day off because she prefers Chloe over sleep. Don’t get her wrong, she’s still her grumpy self. 

“Morning sunshine,” Chloe calls out teasingly when she spots her walking down the stairs. 

Beca only offers a grunt in response, dragging her feet all the way to her expensive coffee maker. She tries to tame her wild bed hair while it brews, eventually giving up and tying it up into a loose bun with the scrunchie around her wrist. Her body hums with that first sip, and she pads over to where Chloe sits drinking her own cup, brushing a soft kiss to her lips. “Good morning.” 

“It’s supposed to rain all day,” Chloe murmurs, shifting on her stool to face Beca and draping her arms over her shoulders. “So I was thinking… we could spend it cooking? I’ll teach you my cupcake recipe and you teach me something else?” 

Beca hums, her hands finding purchase on Chloe’s hips. “A throwback to our first date?” Her smiling lips press against Chloe’s in a short kiss. “I like the sound of that.” 

Chloe grins and stands up, padding over to Beca’s shelves of records. She spends a minute picking one while Beca contentedly sips at her coffee, leaning back against the kitchen island. The Temptations’ _I’m Losing You_ fills the room as Chloe walks back, setting her hands on top of the counter and looking at Beca expectantly. 

“What are we cooking, Chef Mitchell?” 

Beca sets her mug down and hums as she thinks. “Tagliatelle and meatballs from scratch, with homemade tomato sauce.” 

Chloe looks pleased. “Oooh, I’ve never made fresh pasta before.” 

“It’s pretty easy.” Beca smiles and walks to her pantry for flour and eggs. “We need 200 grams of flour and two eggs. The hardest part is working the dough for ten to fifteen minutes but that shouldn’t be a problem for you and your baker guns,” she says with a soft wink. 

She loves Chloe’s arms. And strength. _Especially_ when they’re in bed and Chloe does that thing--

Chloe’s smirk interrupts her train of thought like she knows where Beca’s mind was headed. “Nope.” 

While Chloe beats the eggs and works them into the flour, Beca gets the rest of the ingredients to make the tomato sauce. 

“Have you been to Italy before?” Chloe asks as she skillfully kneads the ball of dough with the heels of her hands, adding a sprinkle of flour once in a while so it doesn’t stick. 

In the meantime, Beca cuts four fresh tomatoes into quarters, setting them on a baking sheet to slide into the oven once warm. She sets out on cutting the garlic and onion next, shaking her head at Chloe’s question. “Nope. It’s on my bucket list, though. I’d love to go on a food and wine tour in Tuscany.” 

“That sounds amazing,” Chloe muses aloud. “I’ve always wanted to go there. And France, too. Learning from a baker over there is on my bucket list.” 

“Yeah?” Beca asks with a smile. She thinks she could make that happen, if the two of them ever manage to take enough time off to go on a trip to France. Maybe for their honeymoon. 

Holy shit, okay brain, slow the fuck down. 

Chloe looks at her curiously. “Penne for your thoughts?” 

Beca rolls her eyes fondly, though it’s only for show as she finds Chloe’s many puns endearing. “I was just thinking that this is pretty much my idea of a perfect day.” 

Which isn’t a lie; Beca was just thinking it before; how lucky she is to have found someone with whom she can share her passion for cooking and music. 

“Well,” she adds after a moment’s thought. “ _Close_ to a perfect day, as that would require staying in bed until at _least_ ten.” 

Chloe giggles. “How’s an afternoon nap for a bargain?” 

Beca hums. “Acceptable.” 

They spend the next hour making the meatballs and tomato sauce, then cut the dough into tagliatelles. While the meatballs bake in the oven, Chloe preps the kitchen island with everything they need for the cupcakes. 

“First of, beat two egg whites while I prep the baking trays.” 

“I like it when you get all bossy,” Beca murmurs as she cracks two eggs into a bowl, seperating the whites from the yolks. 

“I know,” Chloe replies, squeezing her butt as she walks behind her to get to the oven. 

“Whisk them until soft peaks form?” Beca asks with a smirk, meeting Chloe’s eyes as she grabs the mixer. “I almost made a comment on our first date but figured it was too risqué that early in the game.” 

Chloe laughs, shaking her head. “Is your mind _always_ in the gutter?” 

Beca makes a show of sweeping her gaze up and down Chloe’s body. “Can you blame me?” She asks, biting back a laugh. “Besides, you’re one to talk. All I have to do is speak French and you’re dragging me to the bedroom.” 

She smirks in satisfaction when Chloe doesn’t have anything smart to reply to that. “Touché, Mitchell.” 

Over the next ten minutes, Chloe walks her through how to make the cupcake batter, which Beca mixes until it’s silky and slightly thick. They eat the main dish while the cupcakes are baking, then make the icing while they cool down, scooping it up in a piping bag. 

“Okay, this is the part where I’m going to screw it up,” Beca says as she bends down over the tray, armed with her tool. Instead of a circle and swirl like Chloe just showed her, she makes the shape of a heart and fills it with icing, setting the piping bag down and holding it up for Chloe to taste. “Verdict.” 

“Aw, you’re such a softie,” Chloe gushes, laughing before she bites into the cupcake still held by Beca. 

“Good?” Beca asks while Chloe chews. 

Chloe nods. “You’re a stellar apprentice.” 

Beca sets the cupcake down and rests her hands on Chloe’s hips, then draws in a deep breath, gathering her guts. “So, um, I kinda love that. You being around all the time, here in my apartment.” 

Chloe smiles. “I like being here, too.” 

“I know it’s a little further away from the bakery but, would you consider... moving in?” A shy sort of grin spreads across her features as she asks, drawing a soft chuckle from Chloe. 

“Are you sure you’ll be okay with me hogging the kitchen and the oven all the time?” She asks, cocking an eyebrow. “And me getting up at four am every morning and possibly waking you up?” 

“Fair points, but yes,” Beca replies with a firm nod, brushing another kiss to Chloe’s lips. “I’m sure.” 

Chloe kisses her fully. “I love you.” 

“I love you, too.” 

*

Living together is a bit challenging at first. Chloe isn’t as tidy as Beca is, and while Beca isn’t a neat freak either, she appreciates working in a clean kitchen, not with a sink full of dishes soaking. Beca tends to forget she doesn’t live on her own anymore, and often wakes Chloe up when she comes back from the restaurant. 

It leads to their first arguments, but they eventually learn to each make a bit of effort, and Beca to communicate better by letting Chloe know right away when she’s bothered by something instead of letting it simmer. 

A year passes. A year of lazy Monday mornings spent cuddling in bed, a year of slow dancing to Beca’s record player, a year of recipes and bad cooking puns. Beca feels like she’s falling in love with Chloe a bit more every day, and she wonders if that will ever stop. 

Chloe is the epitome of adorable and sexy, kind and fiery, the most beautiful person Beca knows, both inside and out, and she feels the need to pinch herself on a daily basis. 

“Dammit.”

Beca isn’t a baker; the aspect of her frosting is proof of that, and sadly, glaring at it doesn’t seem to make it magically better. 

Chloe’s birthday is tomorrow, and Beca wanted to make her a rainbow layered cake, but so far, all she’s managed is to make her kitchen look like a tornado just swept through it. Okay, she might be exaggerating, but it’s been an hour and a half and no cake has been completed. 

The keys turning into the lock makes her look up, and she doesn’t have time to really hide anything before the front door opens. 

“You’re home early,” Beca squeaks, a deer caught in the headlights expression flashing across her features. 

“Yeah, I was feeling tired and let Jamie handle things for me.” Chloe looks at her curiously. “Whatcha making?” 

Beca’s shoulder slump as she heaves out a sigh. “Your birthday cake. Or trying to, at least.” 

“Awww. Really?” Chloe beams as she approaches. “That’s so sweet! What’s the problem?” 

“I messed up the frosting,” she mutters, pouting a little. “It’s too thick.” 

“That’s what she said,” Chloe quips, childlike amusement coloring her tone. 

Beca rolls her eyes, making a face. “Gross.” 

“Should be fixed with some cream,” Chloe says as she pads over to the fridge, taking out the cream bottle and adding it to Beca’s mix. “Give it a good stir and scoop it up in the piping bag, we’ll see how it goes.” 

“You’re not supposed to help on your own birthday cake,” Beca mumbles. “Get out of my kitchen. I’ll call you when I’m at the inscription stage. I’m not ruining this cake with my chicken scratch handwriting.” Chloe had a flowy, gorgeous handwriting, and much more experience handling icing. 

“Fine,” Chloe agrees with a soft laugh, stealing a kiss from Beca’s lips. “I’ll go take a shower in the meantime.” 

The sides and top of the cake are all frosted up by the time she’s back, and Beca hands her the piping bag filled with rainbow icing to write on it. 

“What am I putting?” Chloe asks. “Happy birthday Chloe, you’re the best lay I’ve ever had?” 

Beca barks out a laugh. “ _Dude_ , your parents are coming.” 

“I like that you didn’t contradict that fact,” Chloe states smugly, missing Beca’s eye-roll as she focuses on her task at hand. 

Beca starts to clean up in the meantime, setting the dirty bowls into the sink as she hums to the song playing. 

“How’s that?” Chloe asks, angling the cake towards Beca as she walks over. 

The air is stolen from Beca’s lungs as she stares at the inscription on the cake. 

_Will you marry me?_

A ring nestled in an open square box sits next to it. When she finally looks up, she finds Chloe smiling at her sheepishly. 

“Are you--” Yes, she seems pretty serious, you dumbass. Beca shakes her head faintly to make sure it’s still screwed on straight. Her chest constricts as a bunch of emotions unleash between her ribs, and tears blur her vision. “Yes,” she croaks out, turning to Chloe and cupping the side of her neck as she captures her lips in a loving kiss. 

Chloe beams, her own eyes misty. “Yeah?” 

“Of course, you dork,” Beca confirms, a watery chuckle bursting free. “I planned on asking you soon. I have a freaking ring in my bedside drawer.” 

Chloe giggles. “Whoops. Beat you to it.” She kisses Beca again, squeezing her waist. “I’d been thinking of a grand plan, but this was a spur of the moment kind of thing. You looked adorable making me a cake, and I just… couldn’t wait any longer.” 

Beca scrunches up her nose. “We’re gross.” 

Chloe lets out a hearty laugh, pulling her into an embrace. “We need to make another cake.” 

“Wait, you need to taste this one first,” Beca says as she backs away. Another thought sparks a second later. “Wait, _first,_ I need to go get your ring.” 

Chloe catches Beca around the waist as she tries to walk past her, tugging her against her and capturing her lips into a deep kiss. She smiles brightly when they part, patting Beca’s butt. “Okay, now go.” 

They’re married eight months later on a warm September evening, in a gorgeous vineyard a friend of Beca’s owns in the Hudson Valley. It’s an intimate ceremony, with a handful of Beca’s friends, the Bellas and their close families, bringing the total number of guests to thirty people. 

Beca of course makes the menu, leaving the cake mastery to Chloe. She closes the restaurant for one night so that her trusted chef-de-cuisine is the one to cook the meal. The rest is handled by Jesse and Aubrey, respectively best man and maid-of-honor, but also fiancés as of recently. 

Beca starts crying as soon as she spots Chloe walking down the aisle, wearing a gorgeous, yet simple, flowing bohemian-style dress. She barely makes it through her vows, forever ruining her reputation of having a stone-cold-heart among her friends. 

“Hello, Mrs. Mitchell,” Beca murmurs, twirling Chloe as the first song they ever danced to fills the renovated barn their reception is taking place in. She sets her hands on Chloe’s hips as they sway to the instrumental intro, a serene smile curving her lips. “Have I mentioned how beautiful you look, yet?” 

Chloe hums, looping her arms around Beca’s neck. “Once or twice.” 

_“Baby, baby, baby_

_I'm coming home_

_To your tender sweet loving_

_You're my one and only woman...”_

Chloe gasps when her gaze flickers to the stage at that familiar voice, shock written all over her features. “That’s…” she glances back at Beca. “Leon Bridges. Here, at our wedding.” 

Beca smiles, happy that her surprise has the expected effect. “He came to the restaurant a few times, so I asked him for a favor.” 

“He’s a regular?” Chloe gaps again. She swats Beca’s shoulder. “You’ve never told me?!” 

Beca laughs, catching her hand and holding it in her own. “I didn’t want it to ruin the surprise.”

“I can’t believe you,” Chloe says, shaking her head with a smile. “I love it. Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” Beca murmurs and tightens her hold on her wife’s waist. 

_Wife_. Her heart still bursts over the term. 

Dinner is delicious, punctuated with hilarious speeches from their friends and embarrassing videos of both Beca and Chloe. They stand up somewhere towards the middle of the party to cut the cake, a red velvet two level tier-cake wrapped with white creamcheese frosting. 

"It's been an emotional day, even the cake is in tiers,” Beca deadpans as they stand in front of it, a smirk tickling the corners of her lips as she waits for Chloe to get it. 

Chloe giggles. “Uh oh, I’m rubbing off on you. Run now, you can still save yourself.” 

Beca grins and pecks her lips, offering her the knife. “You do the honors, wifey.” 

They fly to Italy the next morning, spending a week there drinking amazing wine, eating delicious food and visiting charming villages, before heading to France. Another one of Beca’s wedding gifts is for Chloe to spend two days alongside a notorious French baker in Paris. Over their next ten days there, she shows Chloe around her favorite places and takes her to the restaurant where it all started as well as the one she opened a few months ago. 

“Après vous, mademoiselle,” Beca says with a hand flourish, opening the door to the French version of _Mamie_ , which she called _chez suzanne,_ once more after her grandma. It was a lengthy project, which required her to fly over a few times over the course of the last two years, and she’s happy to finally be able to show it to Chloe for real. 

“I believe I’m a _madame_ now, aren’t I?” Chloe quips. “Now that I’m married and stuff.” 

“That’s true,” Beca murmurs, linking her fingers with Chloe’s as they walk towards the kitchen. She glances at her wife, pretty sure hearts are coming out of her eyes as she corrects herself, “ _Madame_ Mitchell, then.” 

She told the chef they would be stopping by for dinner not to just spring up on him. 

“Bonsoir tout le monde,” she greets when they walk into the kitchen, where five employees are bustling about as dinner rush hour is nearing. 

“Beca!” Mathieu exclaims with a bright smile. “J’suis content d’te voir.” 

“Moi aussi. Mathieu, voici ma femme, Chloe,” she introduces. “Chloe this is Mathieu, the head chef and manager.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Mathieu says as he shakes Chloe’s hand. 

“Likewise.” 

She goes over a few things with him quickly, wanting to make the most of her evening out with her wife. 

“Have I mentioned how sexy it sounds whenever you speak French?” Chloe asks once they’re sat at their table. 

Beca smirks. “Once or twice.” 

The following couple of years are pretty much domestic bliss. They manage to find a good balance between work and their personal lives, both giving themselves an additional day off a week. 

On their second wedding anniversary, they make the decision to expand their small family. 

(Their small family consisting until now of herself and Chloe, and the two ginger cats Chloe convinced her to adopt from the shelter shortly after their honeymoon.)

The process is lengthy, and a few hurdles get into their way, but they eventually get that blissful pink plus sign. 

“Bec.” 

“Mm.” 

“I’m hungry.” 

Beca stifles a groan and rolls onto her back, blinking blearily. “What are you in the mood for?” She rasps, sleep evident in her tone. 

“A grilled cheese,” Chloe murmurs sheepishly. 

Okay good, fairly simple. Though Beca knows she would have made Chloe anything she wanted from scratch, even if it took her two hours. She’ll be carrying and nurturing their baby for nine whole months and pushing them out of her body, so cooking whatever Chloe and Peanut are craving is the least Beca can do. 

She pecks Chloe’s lips as she pushes the covers back. “Coming right up.” 

It doesn’t take her more than twenty minutes, and she heads back up with a plate and a can of ginger ale, setting both on Chloe’s bedside table. 

“So glad I married a chef,” Chloe mumbles around a mouthful, moaning in delight. “Best decision ever.” 

“I knew it,” Beca smiks as she lies on her side propped over her elbow, rubbing the light swell of Chloe’s belly with her free hand. “You only married me for my cooking skills.” 

Chloe doesn’t deny it, humming instead. “And your skills in bed.” 

Beca falls in love with Chloe all over again when their daughter comes into the world five months later and she witnesses how wonderful of a mother she is. Not that she had any doubts, but watching Chloe interact with Charlie so naturally makes her heart ache with an unparalleled amount of love. 

She’s surprised when, upon witnessing Beca tend to Charlie during her bath, Chloe tells her the same thing. 

As Charlotte, aka Charlie, grows up, it gets pretty clear she is Chloe through and through. There’s a sprinkle of grumpiness and stubborness in there that she definitely gets from Beca, though Chloe argues Charlie inherits her tendency for tantrums from herself as she claims to have been a dramatic toddler. 

“Want me to take over with stirring, Peanut?”

“Nope!” 

“What’s going on here?” Beca asks as she shuts the front door behind her, carrying a bag of leftovers from the restaurant. 

Charlie is standing on her step-stool to reach the height of the island, wearing a yellow apron with her auburn hair up in the cutest pigtails. 

“We’re makin’ Chwistmas cookies!” The three-year-old exclaims, smiling brightly. 

They’ve of course introduced Charlie to cooking pretty early on, letting her help out as soon as she could hold things. As of now, she’s been leaning towards baking over general cooking, and it’s been an ongoing playful challenge between Beca and Chloe to make her like their respective specialty more than the other’s. 

“Oooh, can I steal one?” Beca asks as she walks past the tray of cooling cookies. 

“No!” Charlie says, frowning adorably. “They need colors first, Mama.” 

“Oh right, my bad.” She kisses Chloe quickly. “I wonder where she gets that bossiness from.” 

Chloe laughs while Beca presses a kiss to Charlie’s cheek, then blows a raspberry to her neck, making her squirm away. 

“Mama, stop! I focus now,” Charlie states seriously as she takes the blue food coloring and tips it over the bowl of icing. “One, two, three, four, five.” 

“Good job, Peanut,” Beca says, kissing the top of her head. 

They spend the rest of the afternoon decorating cookies, taking breaks here and there to dance to Frank Sinatra, while outside the window, the snow steadily falls over New York City. As they sway to _Fly Me To the Moon_ , with Charlie snuggled between the two of them, Beca thinks her life really can’t get any more perfect than that. 


End file.
